Folk Knowledge and Tradition of Recognizing and Training Swift Horses\nSince ancient times, Mongols have developed a complex understanding of how to choose the swiftest horses from among a herd and coach and train these horses to race. Over one month, the horses’ diet is restricted, and the horses are raced over longer and longer distances each day. Race horses are classified into six age categories: ikh nas, soyolon, azarga, khyzaalan, shüdlen, and daaga, and horses in each category race for different distances. The jockeys are children between the ages of 6 and 13. The sweat-scraper and brush are patterned with symbolic designs of the horse’s prowess and promptness.

Since ancient times, Mongols have developed the complex knowledge of choosing the swiftest horses among the flock, coaching and training them to race for a month before the race. The food is reduced and raced at the shortest to longer distances day by day. The training goes on same way and continues until the race. The race horses are classified by 6 ages as ikh nas, soyolon, azarga, khyzaalan, shüdlen and daaga and race at different distances depending upon the age. The jockeys of swift horses in general are children between 6 and 13 years old, but mostly children between the ages of 6-8 ride the swift horses. The forelocks and tails of swift horses are bound with strips. The sweat-scraper and brush are patterned with symbolic designs of the horse’s prowess and promptness.